The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-05-06
AN ALCHEMIST.

then, nothing is very serious from z
cosn1ic point of view; even a Franco
Prussian war is impotent to ruffle the
serene face of the cosmos, and earth
quakes and tOrnadoes indicate a mere
passing irritability@ and are of no cOnse
Quence. In the lofty state Of mind in
duced by such reflections, DR.. MAJ
SemmleF was apt to neglect such tribes a
fashions in hats and coats and neckties
which could not be brought into any
possible relation with his science, and
when stimulated by the criticism OF his
fiancee, Hatcher Schrader, he resolved tt
conform to he whims Of his age-hiS
experiments in conformity proved always
more disastrous that his unconscious
originality That, of course, led to scenes
which were unpleasant while they lasted,
but were ''made up in the usual ap-
proved fashion. For all that, something
remained after these quarrels which tears
and caresseS failed to efface. 1t began
slowly to dawn upon Max that some
influence was at work tending to ALLEVIATE
Hatcher from him; and after having
vainly speculated upon it for month, he
asked her, with all sorts of cautious,
lover like Recommendations, what was
the matter. She shed a few preliminary
tears, which, in Max's eyes, heightened
her Ioveliness, and then exclaimed:
'FWhat is the good of my concealing it
any longer, Max?''
Max declared that he could see no good
in it.
ct love you, Max she cried; ''you
know that I love you; but how can
marry you when you are such fail
ure? My father insists upon it that l
must break my engagement with you and
marry Mr. Harbitsch, the broker That's
what makes me cry, for 1 cannot live
without you to scold, Max; and yet, what
can l do, when papa and mamma both
throw it at me from morning till night
that you can make no money-that you
are failure?"
'EFailurer' cried Max, jumping up and
rubbing his spectacles with his handker-
chief ST failurel 1, who have taken
the great university medal in chemistry
and am now a tutor, with sure promise
of a professorship?"
eyes, but what is a professorship after
all? Six or eight hundred dollars year,
with the prospect of 81 900 when you are
too old to enjoy it. Mr.. Harbitsch often
makes that in a day, or even more"
ayes, but how does he make it? BY
gambling and cheating. have heard
that his reputation on the bourse is very
bad. If I wanted to cheat l could also
get rich, and in shorter time than Har-
bitsch.''
'TWeu, could you now? My father says
that you scientific men are mere night
caps, who sit in your studies and medi-
tate, but cannot turn your knowledge to
any practical account.
DR.. Semmler began to pace the floor
angrily, buttoning and again unbuttoning
his coat as he went on. Suddenly he
stopped before his astonished fancee.
''Katchen, - he said, seriously, ''what is
81, 900 more or less to a man who stands
fora RI faco with the infinitieS ~
''I do not know what it is to a man,
but to a woman who stands face to face
with the infinities it is good deal. She
can get no end Of things with ii"
'Ah, my child" exclaimed Max, in
despair, ''what are things? Nothing at
all We are ourselves nothing at all. We
produce scarcely ripple upon the stream
of time. Consider the immensely Of the
time that has preceded US, the immensely
of the time that will succeed us, and the
immensely of the space that surrounds US;
the innumerable myriads and myriads Of
our kind that nature has poured forth, is
pouring FORTH and shall pour forth to all
eternity; what, then, are you and in this
torrent of teening whirling, seething, in
exhaustible life? What occupation is
nobler and more digniied to man, con-
sciOus Of his place in this cosmic life, than
to contemplate natures grandeur, to
investigate her serene and pitiless pro-
cessess, to press his ear close to her breast
and listen to her mighty heart beat? What
is the occupation of q paltry, purblind
money changer compared to the calm and
lofty seership of priest in the temple of
science who contentedly burns out the
Pickering lamp of his being in the service
of the great mother who made him?'
''That is beautiful! That is grand, in
deed" calculated Hatcher, much i'm
pressed by her lovers eloquence. She
put her arms about his neck and wept for
a while contentedly upon his bosom.
''You are great man, indeed, Max"
she went on, sobbing; II shall never say
again that you are failure. Butt she
added, hesitatingly, gazing up at him
with an adorable, fearful smile, IF you
only could make little money-not on
my account yon know, but On fathers
Max tore himself away from her and
began once more to pace the floor.
"But you would not have me mere
miserable money making Philistine, who
deserts science and invents baking pow
ders and shoe blacking?' he dried, indig-
nantly.
eyes, yes, would" she responded en-
Enthusiastically. 'sDo invent something;
shoe backing, for instance, warranted not
to crack the leather, because that's just
what ] am in need Of-Semmler's Shoe
Shine! S. S. S. in all the newspapers and
on the street corners. Motto: A child
can blacken itself with this blackingp'
She laughed with delight at her idea
and chung once more caressingly about his
neck.
''But should be very unhappy man
If deserted science and engaged perma-
nently in any such pursuit." he demon
strated, gravely.
''Well, then, desert science tenporari-
ly; but only do make some money" she
coaxed.
He stood long bordering, and tremu-
lous shiver passed through his frame
How long will you wait for me9'' he
asked, with stern resolution in his face.
ooh, l could wait forever" she an
swered, tenderly; ''but let us say year, -
she went on, as the worldly reflections be-
gan to predominant.
We'll, then, year.
But tell me-" she urged, as he ap-
preached the door, ''what do you mean to
try9"
IAN experiment in profitable transgres-
sion.''
The renowned millionaire, Leander
Hardness, sat in his Office in San Fran
cisco writing dispatches to his brokers in
New York and Chicago, when note was
IL -